


The Perils of Memory (and Spinach Puffs)

by WeWalkADifferentPath



Series: Life's Many Perils [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Humour, M/M, Malec, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2017-05-26
Packaged: 2018-11-05 07:13:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11008536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeWalkADifferentPath/pseuds/WeWalkADifferentPath
Summary: Magnus's heart rate kicked up, and he forced himself to breath. “What does that mean?”“He uhm- he doesn't seem to remember much, from the last year or so. Or anything, really.”From the last year...but that means...“He doesn't remember me, then.”Or, Magnus is a proud cook, and Alec has a problem.





	The Perils of Memory (and Spinach Puffs)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So this work will be part of a larger unconnected series, all set in different universes, some canon some not. Hopefully someday soon-ish the next one will be posted too (the Perils of Sparkly Toenails). If you want to kick my ass about it, feel free to contact me at wewalkadifferentpath.tumblr.com. I have no life. 
> 
> Feel free to leave comments or suggestions! :)
> 
> *edited Feb2018 to change some stereotyping/potentially harmful details written in the first version (but the overall thing is the same) and to note that I may have gotten the literal concept of spinach puffs from The Personal Assistant of Magnus Bane by MenckensChrestomethy ? Which I didn't even realize until I went and looked at it again, so. There's that, anyways.

“Alexander!” Magnus greeted excitedly. 

He checked out his boyfriend over his shoulder as he carefully pulled the tray out of the oven. Alec was wandering a little dazedly out of Magnus's bedroom, dressed in his gear but with thoroughly mussed bed hair. 

“Morning” Alec muttered, lowering himself onto a bar stool. 

“It _is_ a good morning!” Magnus assured him, leaning over to peck Alec on the cheek. Alec took the kiss and then grumbled, swatting his hand through the air as if batting away Magnus's enthusiasm. 

“Coffee?” Alec croaked. Magnus sighed; despite years of early mornings, his Alexander was still not a morning person. 

“Of course my love, I have a pot on. But first, I need you to try this!” He held out a hand triumphantly, revealing one of the spinach puffs he'd made this morning. Magnus wasn't a huge cook, but he'd seen the recipe online, and Alec loved spinach, so it thought it could be fun. 

The pastry looked beautiful, golden brown and warm, but he wanted Alec to try it first. 

Alec looked at him and then at the coffee pot longingly. “Can't you just poof a cup?” 

Magnus sniggered. “You're the one who doesn't like it when I steal coffee. So? Try it!” 

Alec took the pastry gingerly, sniffing at it like it was some foreign object. “What is it?” 

“Spinach puff” Magnus declared, beaming. 

Alec flicked his tongue out, poking the tip of the pastry with it. “Is it safe?” 

“That was one time!” Magnus groaned. “This is fine, I assure you.” 

Alec nodded, and then in typical Alec Lightwood form, put the whole thing in his mouth at once. 

His face contorted for a second and he choked, looking rather horrified. Magnus passed him water, which Alec took gratefully. 

He watched with amusement as Alec finally put the cup down. “That was- mm, that was good Mags.” 

Magnus had to hold himself back from laughing. “ _That_ was good? That reaction? What would it look like if I gave you something you didn't like?”

Alec shrugged, still coughing a little. “It just went down the wrong way. I liked it, I swear.”

Magnus squinted at him. “You're lying.” 

Alec stared back. “I'm not.” 

Their staring match was only broken when Alec rose to get his coffee. He looked longingly at his favourite mug, but selected a travel one instead. “Any big clients today?” 

Magnus smiled. “No, I have some meetings this morning but after that I'll be working from home. What about you, any big demons to fight?” 

Alec shook his head, reaching for another pastry. “No, just a standard raid this morning, but it should be slow. I'll be home tonight, okay?” 

Magnus's stomach fluttered. _Home._

“Sure, love” he said, and Alec kissed him on the cheek. 

“I gotta go, but I'll call you.” He held his spinach puff in the air as a wave. “Thanks for the pastries- they're delicious!” 

“Liar” Magnus grumbled, as soon as the door closed. 

Alec didn't like his pastries, he just _knew_ it, and he was determined to get the truth. But first, he had to meet with Luke.

\--- 

Three hours later, Magnus was sorting through his supplies when he heard the knock on his door. 

“Who is it?” he called out, rather anticlimactically. He just wasn't in the mood for showiness today, sue him. 

“It's Izzy!” 

“Oh, Isabelle!” He put down the jar he'd been holding and went to open the door for her. “How's my second favourite Lightwood? Do want a pastry? I made- oh.” 

Isabelle looked beautiful as always, in a red dress and leather hunting gear. She did have a few scratches across her face and arms that looked a little uncomfortable, but that wasn't what had Magnus worried. 

“Magnus, meet Alec” Izzy said, looking between Magnus and where she was half-carrying her brother. She had an arm around his waist to support him, and he was staring resolutely at the ground, trembling a little. 

“What happened?” Magnus asked, immediately alarmed. Alec was supposed to be out on patrol right now; if he was back this early... Magnus quickly scanned his boyfriend for signs of injury, but came up blank, other than whatever Izzy was supporting his weight for. 

Isabelle huffed. “Can we come in?” she asked, in lieu of answering. 

“Of course, of course.” 

Magnus moved forward, intending to take over carrying Alec, but paused when Izzy shook her head at him. “Wha-”

She cut him off with another warning look. _“I'll explain”_ she mouthed to him over Alec's shoulder. 

“Here, brother, sit down here” Izzy moved delicately, lowering her brother onto Magnus's couch. Before she could straighten up, Alec silently grabbed her arm in what looked like a death grip. She glanced at him, and then at Magnus, and complied, sitting next to him. 

Magnus decided not to sit. “What's wrong?” he asked again. “Is he hurt- Alexander, are you hurt?” 

Alec's gaze jumped to Magnus for a second and his face turned crimson. He muttered something into his lap, and Isabelle squeezed his hand. “He's fine, at least physically.” 

Magnus's heart rate kicked up, and he forced himself to breath. “What does that mean?” 

“He uhm- he doesn't seem to remember much, from the last year or so. Or anything, really.”

From the last year... _but that means..._

“He doesn't remember me, then.” 

Izzy smiled apologetically. “No. But it's not just you- that's just an unfortunate coincidence. It's everything.” 

Magnus crinkled his brow as he stared at Alec. It was true, the boy did look rather deflated, and more curled in on himself, much like how he used to be. He looked... scared. Although, that was probably to be expected when one suddenly lost a year's worth of memories. 

“It was a Warlock, I think” Izzy explained. “We were on a demon raid, and then one sort of came out of nowhere. He was throwing spells at us, sort of like you did with Iris? We dodged almost all of them.” 

_Almost._ Such a funny word. 

“Did it hit anyone else?” 

“No” Izzy said. “Jace got injured, physically, but some of Luke's pack came right after Alec was hit and the Warlock disappeared. Jace is okay” she added, seeing Magnus's expression. “We hired your friend Caterina to heal him, so he's in good hands.” 

Magnus felt a flash of fondness for the Lightwood girl. She trusted her brother's safety with Caterina, a Warlock she'd never even met, just based on Magnus's word. Magnus nodded in agreement. “Yes, Caterina is the best.” 

He looked toward Alec, who'd hardly moved since arriving. Alec was in his gear, too, and had _iratzes_ drawn on both of his arms and one of his ankles; presumably the injured one. “What are we going to do with you?” 

“Can you tell what's wrong?” Izzy asked. “Can we fix it?” 

Magnus decided _not_ to think about what would happen if they couldn't fix it. He and Alec had been dating for almost ten months now, officially, and they'd already become extremely important to each other. If that were gone...

 _No._ He was a High Warlock, and he would fix it. 

“I could find out, but I'd have to use magic.” 

“Well good,” Izzy said. “No problem. If it's payment that you're worried about, then we can-”

Magnus shook his head. He looked at Izzy pointedly, and then at Alec, who was still shaking quietly. “It's up to Alexander.” 

Alec’s head shot up as if he was startled to be brought into the conversation. “I-uh- will it hurt?” 

Magnus decidedly did _not_ flinch at that. “No, my little Shadowhunter. In fact, you shouldn't feel anything at all. There are no side effects to this type of magic.” 

Alec nodded, setting his shoulders. “I'd like you to try, then. If- if you don't mind.” 

Magnus tried to smile reassuringly. “Of course I don't mind. Now, hold still, okay?” 

He pushed his magic out slowly, giving Alec time to see it and prepare himself before the blue smoke reached him. Alec watched it tentatively, as if it were a wild animal; fascinating, but also potentially dangerous. 

When it reached him he shivered, but otherwise held still as Magnus explored his mind for magical influence. He quickly found what he was looking for, and actually laughed as he pulled his magic back.

“That old bugger!” Magnus cursed. “He thinks he's so funny.”

Alec raised an eyebrow at him, and the gesture was so _Alec_ that Magnus almost laughed again. “Who? What is it?”

“We can get your memories back” Magnus assured him. “Well, actually, they'll just come back on their own, in about an hour or two. It's a spell that an old acquaintance used to use as a prank. I'm not sure why he was there in the battle at all, to be frank, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was just walking by and had joined in for fun when he saw Alec.” 

“When he saw _me?_ ” Alec asked, crinkling his eyebrows. 

Magnus wanted to say _because you're my boyfriend,_ but he settled for “Because of your… relation, to me. He was probably trying to mess with me through you.” 

Alec didn’t look convinced, but he nodded. “So, a couple of hours.” 

“Yes. It might help if you drink some potions in the meantime, and it would be good to have someone remind you of the past that you’re missing. But really it’s just a waiting game now.”

Izzy nodded firmly, relief in her voice. “Okay. Well, I was hoping to go check on Jace… Magnus, are you okay if I leave Alec here?” 

Magnus glanced at Alec, who was looking at Izzy as if she were about to abandon him to small-talk during an uncomfortable social event. 

“I'm okay with it, if Alexander is.” 

Alec clearly wanted to say no, but seemed to think better of it. “It's fine. It'll only be a couple of hours right? Go be there for Jace.”

Izzy rose, kissed Alec's cheek, and then walked over and kissed Magnus’s. “See you both soon.” 

She shot a pointed look at Magnus. “Don't mess with him too much.”

“Wouldn't dream of it” Magnus mumbled, grinning. 

\---

“So, Izzy said we're... close?” Alec still hadn't moved a centimetre from where Izzy had deposited him on the couch. He also hadn't spoken, until now. 

Magnus had offered him every drink in the book, made small talk about the weather, and offered to play music. Alec had just sat there stoically, politely shaking his head or answering with one word when necessary. The silence had been driving Magnus crazy, but eventually he'd caved and decided to just let it be, and went to make a drink for himself. 

Until now, it seemed. 

“Yes” Magnus answered carefully, carrying his drink back to sit on the couch opposite Alec. “Does that… surprise you?” 

“Well, yeah” Alec answered, rubbing the back of his neck. He blushed, shooting his gaze up to Magnus's. “I mean, not that- not because-”

Magnus smiled. “I understand.” 

After another heavy silence, Magnus sighed. “Are you sure you don't want that tea? Maybe you don't remember, but I do hate to drink alone, and I know that you love earl grey.” 

Alec smiled a little self-consciously. “Okay, sure. If-if that's-”

“It's my pleasure.” 

Magnus decided to poof the tea in instead of making it in the kitchen like he'd planned. It would be the first bit of magic he'd done around Alec other than the examination, and he was curious how the Shadowhunter would react. 

He snapped his fingers and the tea appeared on the table in front of them. Alec jumped a little, but then smiled softly. “Thanks.” 

“Like I said, my pleasure.” 

Alec picked his mug up, and Magnus was rewarded with the sound of his gentle laughter. “Too gay to function?” 

Magnus smirked. “Yeah, it's one of your favourites.” 

Alec quirked an eyebrow. “I have a favourite mug at your house?” 

“You have a favourite _many_ things with me, Alexander.” 

Alec blushed a flaming scarlet as Magnus winked. _Oh, I forgot how fun this was._

Maybe it was time for another experiment. Magnus stretched his arms over his head, yawning, making sure that a significant portion of his abdomen was visible as his shirt rode up. 

_Ha, I knew it!_

“Like what you see?” he asked. 

Alec froze. “I-uhm- I don't know what you're talking about?”

“It just seems like you're checking me out, is all.” 

Alec's flushed again, and rubbed a hand through his hair, mussing it up even more. “I'm- uh- I'm not...”

“Gay?” Magnus finished. Right, this was Alec _pre_ -kissing Magnus at his wedding. He wasn’t out yet.

Alec cleared his throat. “Yeah, I'm... not.”

“Well, that makes what we've been doing in _bed_ this past year a little bit awkward” Magnus murmured to himself, then cursed his enunciation when Alec's head shot up. 

“We- what?!”

Magnus bit his lip. “Nothing, nothing. I'm just kidding.”

Alec's gaze was scrutinizing, and Magnus couldn't help but lose his breath for a second. “You're weird” Alec said flatly. 

Magnus was about to respond, but then Alec seemed to choke on his tea, sending him into a loud coughing fit. “I mean-” he said between coughs. “Not that you're- sorry.” 

Magnus smirked. “It's quite alright, my dear. I may be weird, but I'm not the one who likes maple syrup with my grilled cheese.” 

Alec laughed again. “Hey, they both go with bacon, it only makes sense. Although it does weird me out a little that you know that.” 

Alec's lopsided smile was contagious. “I know a lot of things about you, Alexander.”

Alec nodded thoughtfully. He stared at his hands, and it looked like he was about to say something else, but then he paused.

After a beat he looked up. “So you're a High Warlock?”

Magnus's smile widened into a mischievous grin. He rose, bending forward to shake Alec's hand. “Yes, how rude of me. Magnus Bane: Warlock extraordinaire, free-wheeling bisexual, and Prince of-”

 _Shit._ “Prince of effortlessly coordinated style,” he finished, sitting back down awkwardly. 

He'd meant to say _Prince of Hell._ Alec knew about his father, that he was the son of a fallen angel, so it wouldn't technically be revealing something. But... well, he wasn't sure how this Alec would react to the information, and he didn't want his dangerous secret leaked to the Clave. 

Alec chuckled, and Magnus decided he liked this version better anyways if it put that fond look on Alec's face. “I can see that,” he said, gesturing to Magnus's person. “So," he added, clearing his throat, "you're, uh... you're bisexual?” 

Magnus felt something tighten in his chest. His Alec had been okay with it, but he'd already known Magnus by then. But then again, Alec sounded more curious than judgmental, so Magnus decided on honesty. 

“Yes. I've dated men, women, Seelies, Warlocks, a Jinn or two... I've lived a long life.” 

“How long?” 

_Shit, why'd I set myself up for that?_ “Four hundred years” he told Alec honestly. 

Alec's eyes widened. “Wow. That's... wow.” 

Magnus smiled. “Wow indeed.” 

Alec bit his lip, as if considering whether or not it was okay to say whatever he had on his mind. He took a breath. “And you can- your magic- it's- you're pretty powerful?” 

Magnus nodded. “Yes. And half-demon.” 

There was an honesty, to this Alec, that Magnus had to admit he wanted to exploit a little. It was one thing to hear someone’s opinions when they’ were falling in love gradually, and when they wanted to make you happy, but… 

Alec cringed. “But also half human” he said. It came out half statement, half question. Magnus just decided on a nod as a response. 

“And you have a Warlock mark?” Magnus was reminded again of how much Alec had changed in a year; his Alec now would never ask a Warlock he didn’t know about their mark. His Alec also tended to speak more confidently, now. He'd grown a lot in the past year. 

Magnus took a breath. “Two.” 

Alec nodded slowly. He opened his mouth, and then closed it again. “Have I- have I seen them?” he seemed to settle on. 

“Yes. Would you like to now?” 

Alec looked taken aback. “I-uhm-”

“You don't have to.” 

“No!” Alec jumped a little, as if his outburst startled even him. “I think I'd like to, if that's okay.”

Magnus nodded, and then reached for his shirt to pull it up, this time removing his glamour. He watched Alec's face carefully: first checking out Magnus again, and then scrunching his eyebrows as he looked for it, and then realization. 

“Oh” he breathed. “No bellybutton.” 

Magnus shrugged and dropped his shirt. “I never had one. Medical marvel, really.” 

Alec laughed, and Magnus took the opportunity to drop the glamour on his eyes. As soon as Alec saw them, he froze. “Woah.”

“Woah indeed” Magnus smirked, but felt himself wanting to wiggle away from Alec's gaze. “What do you think?” 

Alec considered, wringing his hands together for a moment. Then he stood, limping over to the couch Magnus was on, and sat down carefully beside him. Magnus's breath caught as Alec looked straight at him. 

“Cool” Alec declared. He reached a hand up as if to touch one of his eyes, and then quickly let it drop as he came back to himself. “I- sorry. It's just, they're- you're quite magical.” 

Magnus burst into laughter, startled. Alec watched him curiously as he tried to get his breath back, clutching at his side as the laughter was torn out of him in happy little bursts. 

“S-sorry, Alexander, it's just- it's something that you said, before you lost your memory- it's-” Lydia had told Magnus about the whole _quite magical_ thing, and he'd always wished he could have been there to hear it for himself. 

“I'm glad you think so” Magnus decided on, when he'd finally slowed his laughter down. Alec looked a little self-conscious, and he'd managed to subtly move about three feet away on the couch. But he was also staring at Magnus with wide eyes. _Alec’s look of affection._

It was like... awe, when his feelings for Magnus began to overwhelm him. 

Magnus would never understand how he got lucky enough to be on the other end of that gaze. But seeing it now in _this_ Alec, who didn't even know him... 

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, then, and he put his glamour back up. “Did you like your tea?” he asked, after a few minutes of breathing. 

Alec looked at his mug, where'd he'd left it across the table, then back at Magnus. _What kind of decision could he be-_

“Do you love me?” 

Now it was Magnus's turn to choke.

They hadn't actually exchanged I-love-you's yet, although it was something that had been building almost tangibly around both of them in the last couple of months. Magnus had known for a long time, of course, but he'd been leaving it to Alec to say first. 

He hadn't wanted to move too fast, or scare Alec away. 

But... 

“Yes.” Magnus said carefully. “I do.” 

Alec nodded thoughtfully, hands in his lap, and lifted his eyes to meet Magnus's gaze. _He's so beautiful._ “Do I love you?” 

Magnus hesitated. “I think so.” 

Alec nodded again, slowly. “I thought so.”

Heat rushed to Magnus's stomach. And heart, and probably his face. “Why's that?” he asked softly. He didn’t want to break this moment, this little bubble of strange honesty they'd created for themselves. 

Alec considered while Magnus waited with literal baited breath. “You just seem like someone I would love. And Izzy-”

“Izzy told you?”

Alec shook his head. “She hinted at it, a little.”

“Is that...” Magnus acted on instinct and reached for Alec's hand; Alec didn't grip it back, but let Magnus rest his on top without pulling away. “Are you okay?” Magnus finished. 

Alec stared at where their hands were joined. “I'm not sure.”

He looked up at Magnus imploringly, like he trusted him to have the answers. _Which, I suppose, I do,_ Magnus thought. 

“You're happy” he told Alec, acting on impulse. “This last year- you've been happy. With me.” 

There was another _\- another!-_ long moment of silence, and then Alec let out his breath. “Thank you.” 

Magnus squeezed his hand one more time and then stood up. “My pleasure, Alexander. Now, we have one more thing to do before you get your memories back. In fact, I’ve been waiting for this since you got here.” 

Alec quirked an eyebrow at him. “What's that?” 

Magnus grinned. “I need you to try this pastry for me.” 

\--- 

Alec _was_ surprised when he bit into Magnus’s pastry and then promptly spit it out, ungracefully, all over the Warlock’s carpet. 

But half an hour later, when Alec finally started to get his memories back, he was _not at all_ surprised to find a fuming Magnus using magic to throw socks at his face while simultaneously dumping all of the spinach puffs into the compost.


End file.
